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The days of needing a paper ticket to travel on Metro-North may be coming to an end. Could subway Metro Cards be on the way out too?

Our fearless MTA has announced that they plan, next month, to begin testing ticketing on smartphones, next month.

Railroad employees will try their luck with paperless tickets on iPhones, Androids and BlackBerries.

The MTA has chosen the specialists at Masabi US, Ltd who have loads of experience in matters like these (13 railroads in the UK use their system and Boston's MBTA comes online this fall).

Based on the pilot program, the MTA will decide exactly when the program will be made available to the general public.

At that point, commuters will be able to buy electronic tickets on their smartphones and then have their handsets scanned by Metro-North conductors.

Through Masabi's app you'll be able to buy one-way, round trip, 10-trip, and monthly e-tickets, with any origin/destination using your credit or debit card. No cash or paper tickets involved.

No word yet on how (or if) a system like this could ever be used in NYC's subway and bus system.